I had an interesting conversation with someone today in that at one point they commented that my success was probably due to my ignoring the rules and going my own direction. I thought about that for a minute. If I was to review both my successes (and failures for that matter), the successes were not from an ignoring of the rules, but understanding them completely.

Until you fully understand the rules involved, you can’t break them. I certainly think that “breaking the rules” or “going against the grain” can maximize a positive outcome, but you don’t break the rules just for the sake of breaking the rules. Take negotiations for example. The better you understand the person you are negotiating with, the more likely you are to succeed - you know where they are coming from and what their needs or desires are. You can better help them and yourself. Conversely, if you know nothing about the other person, you are really flying blind and only hoping for a positive outcome.

Break the rules…but learn them first…